Russell Hill used this P-38 can opener during his service with the 787th Anti-Aircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion (Semimobile) in Europe in 1944-1945. So use it, hang on to it, and some years down the road, when you pull it out, it may just bring a smile to your face remembering all of the At 2" long, the P-51 is easier to use. Originally designed for and distributed in the K-ration, it was later included in the C-ration. : The tiny, lightweight, P-38 collapsible can opener was developed during World War II, reported to have been a rapid 30 days design project in the summer of 1942 by the U.S. Army Subsistence Research Laboratory in Chicago, IL. A left-handed user is at a slight disadvantage in that the tip of the thumb (instead of the lateral flank of the distal index finger) must apply the combined travel & twist forces. Sgt. It has been the best thing I’ve ever got and I still have it to this day on my key ring. A similar device that incorporates a small spoon at one end and a bottle opener at the other is currently employed by the Australian Defence Force and New Zealand Army in its ration kits. Key ring attachment hole, folds flat for carrying. US p38 can opener, stamped on side "US SHELBY CO" 11. All Rights Reserved. Pulling the trigger cocks the hammer before firing the first shot with double-action operation. Still have a P-38 on my key ring to use along with other tools to help others. Amazon sells two of them here for three bucks, or you can get a twenty pack here for ten bucks. The P38 Can Opener is sometimes referred to as a John Wayne and "the Army's Greatest Invention." We were still eating the C Rations at that time. Sgt. They were also known as a " John Wayne " because the actor was shown in a training film opening a can of K-rations. Add a P-38 and P-51 Can Opener to your Survival Kits! I used to have a P-38 on my key ring, too, but lost it to airport security back in 2001. 64 sold (4) U.S. Shelby Co. - 2 Each P-51 / P-38 Model Survival Kit Military Can Opener . However, that name may have referred to the P-51, a larger version of the same design, used for larger cans. The tiny, lightweight, P-38 collapsible can opener Allied Workshops-P-38 Can Opener P-38 Can Opener. It seems that it was a common item used by households in 1924, thus preceding the date of ‘invention’ by the Army. I occasionally open cans with it. Even to open my bag of MRE’s with it. The original P38 was the German 9mm Pistol (P) made in 1938 (38). Our P38 Can Opener is the same P38 that fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. It will be really useful when you are out of power. Whatever the name, the P-38 was a favorite. Then, for a right-handed user, the P-38 is held in the right hand by the flat long section, with the cutting point pointing downward and away from the user, while also hooking the edge of the can through the circular notch located on the flat long section next to the cutting edge. A notch just under the hinge point keeps the opener hooked around the rim of the can as the device is "walked" around to cut the lid out. However, use of the metric system in the US was not widespread at this point, and United States Army sources indicate that the origin of the name is rooted in the 38 punctures around the circumference of a C-ration can required for opening.[1]. The name was borrowed for the C-Ration opener. It survives WWII and till today it still sees action. Historians disagree as to which of three theories explains the moniker. For the most complete and accurate information about P-38 Can Openers. U.S. Army photo. It is made of stainless steel and 1.5" long, or roughly 38mm, which is where some believe the name of the can opener comes from. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. A P-38 Military Style Can Opener will work on any size can rim. In 1942, the Subsistence Research Laboratory of Chicago was charged with developing a can opener. It is slightly longer than 38 millimetres (1.5 in). Our P-38 Military Style Can Openers are new, not surplus. The P-38 can opener has been called on of the greatest military inventions of all time. The P-38 and P-51 are small can openers with a cutter hinged to the main body. Today, the portable Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) consumed by American ground troops come in packages that are easy to open. It was perhaps the Army that mass produced them for soldiers to a specification. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 . All experts agree that P-38 did not derive its name from the Walther P-38 pistol used by the German military in World War II. The P-38, developed in 1942,[1] is a small can opener that was issued in the canned field rations of the United States Armed Forces from World War II to the 1980s. The P-38, developed in 1942, is a small can opener that was issued in the canned field rations of the United States Armed Forces from World War II to the 1980s. See this link for the picture discussed above; About the size of a postage stamp, the P-38 is less threatening than an ink pen. Left-handed users simply hold the P-38 in their left hand, with the cutting point aimed towards themselves, while holding the can to be opened in their right hand, while also reversing the sense of the cutting hand movements just described. Their design is similar, but not identical, to the P-38 and P-51 can openers. Repeat motion until can is open. $7.99. The original U.S.-contract P-38 can openers were manufactured by J.W. I’ve used it in the repair of 81MM mortars, Nikon cameras, airborne reconnaissance sensor system components, iPods, my Nissan Frontier, and laptops. While the U.S. armed forces have not issued any P-38s since the mid-1980s, some still... In WWII, Korea and Vietnam with my dog tags around his neck approximately 51 (... Model Survival Kit Military can openers States Military `` Tray rations '' ( canned Meals... Handiest tools to help others please use your heading shortcut key to navigate out of this opener 1924 a. ” is its official Army nomenclature, it was issued in 1943 as part of a Military provenance. 2. Origin of the handiest inventions ever issued to troops longer than 38 millimetres ( 1.5 in ) retired... Ability because of its toughness and dependability 64 sold ( 4 ) U.S. Shelby Co. - 2 Each P-51 P-38... 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